The media spotlight has been on Dulwich Hamlet over the last few days, with news of Danny Carr’s trial at Liverpool making national headlines.

Neil Cole, from the "Dulwich Hamlet 12th Man" Scheme tells us more:

The fairytale story of a non-league player potentially making the jump to the Premier League has captured a lot of interest, and even more so because Danny was only put on contract at Dulwich Hamlet thanks to donations from the supporters via the 12th Man scheme.

BBC Radio 5 Live got in touch with the 12th Man organisers, and asked them to speak to manager Gavin Rose about Danny Carr, the "12th Man" scheme, and his views on developing young British talent. Neil Cole spoke to Gavin before the Sittingbourne game, and the interview was broadcast on this week’s ‘Non-League Football Show’ on 5 Live. You can listen to the interview by following the link below – it starts just five minutes into the show.

The link expires on 16th March – but you can also read the full transcript of the interview by clicking on this link below:

The BBC 5 Live Non League Football Show

NC: The 12th Man is a fan led organisation designed to raise money for the Dulwich Hamlet playing budget, which is being passed directly to manager Gavin Rose for him to spend as he sees fit. Gavin, there’s been a lot of attention on Danny Carr this week, and potential trials at other clubs. But Danny was only put on contract here thanks to money from the 12th Man. How important has that contribution been to you?

GR: It has been vital. We’ve had a tough season financially as a club, and we probably wouldn’t have been able to function as a club without people pulling together. It’s been great to get to where we have in such a short space of time – it was only in January that people really came together and started contributing money for the playing budget. Already we’ve been able to spend that money on new players, and getting some of the younger lads on contracts.
NC: Danny was originally here on a non-contract basis. How important is it for clubs like Dulwich Hamlet to secure players on full contracts?

GR: He was here only on expenses, the extra money from the 12th Man meant we could secure him on contract – a contract that everyone can respect. It means that if Danny goes on to be as a successful as we all hope and think that he will, then there will be some remuneration to the football club, which is much needed because of how small the budget is and the financial constraints that we have.
NC: It seems that Liverpool are leading the way in the chase for Danny Carr. Do you think that any non-league player is capable of such a big jump?

GR: 100%. We have to take into perspective that Danny is only 18. They have boys of that age at Liverpool, and some of them you may never hear of again – not all of them are going to make professional footballers. It’s important to realise that if Danny does get a contract it doesn’t mean he’ll be training next week with Luis Suarez. It means he will be taken with a view to making that jump up in two or three years’ time – just like all the other young lads at Liverpool. He wouldn’t be jumping straight into the first team!
NC: In the last couple of seasons, Dulwich Hamlet have had three other players signed by professional clubs. What’s your secret to their development?

GR: I don’t know if there’s a secret. We have our academy here, Aspire, which has been running 11 years. It’s local – based in Southwark – but we engage kids from all over London between the ages of 16 and 18. We work really hard with a focus on developing talent, boys who may be a bit small at a certain age but may be late developers. We try to work on their technique and their tactical awareness so if the opportunity of professional football comes their way, then they are armed and ready to take it – unlike other boys who may not have that focus.

NC: We often see the bigger sides scouring around abroad for players. Do you feel like they may be missing out on talent that is on their doorsteps?

GR: Possibly. I think it’s hard for me in my position to criticise the way clubs at the very top do their business. I wouldn’t want to be disrespectful to those clubs, but I feel as an Englishman I would like to see as many local kids as possible come through academies and into professional first teams. I think that’s what everyone would like to see. There’s no better feeling than seeing home grown talent coming through their local clubs and being able to develop. I don’t see why that can’t happen. I’ve seen young talent in this country equally as good as that from other countries, but maybe the opportunities and the exit routes for them to continue their careers aren’t quite as clear cut as they are in other countries, and perhaps that is why we aren’t doing as well nationally.

NC: Thanks for your time Gavin.